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Little Brown Dog - Feature Film

There are two sides to every story. For Jake and Cassandra there is only one.

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Little Brown Dog - Feature Film

Little Brown Dog - Feature Film

Little Brown Dog - Feature Film

Little Brown Dog - Feature Film

Little Brown Dog - Feature Film

There are two sides to every story. For Jake and Cassandra there is only one.

There are two sides to every story. For Jake and Cassandra there is only one.

There are two sides to every story. For Jake and Cassandra there is only one.

There are two sides to every story. For Jake and Cassandra there is only one.

Christopher Amaya
Christopher Amaya
Christopher Amaya
Christopher Amaya
1 Campaign |
New York, United States
$1,250 USD by 21 backers
$1,000 USD by 20 backers on Jun 23, 2017
Choose your Perk
featured

Exec Producer Credit Package

$250 USD
Est. Shipping
February 2018
2 out of 3 of claimed

Thank You Package

$5 USD
Est. Shipping
June 2017
1 out of 200 of claimed

Crowd Funder Credit Package

$10 USD
Est. Shipping
June 2017
1 out of 100 of claimed

Digital Copy Package

$25 USD
Est. Shipping
January 2018
4 out of 50 of claimed

Film Poster Package

$50 USD
Est. Shipping
February 2018
1 out of 10 of claimed

Screening Package

$100 USD
Est. Shipping
January 2018
1 out of 5 of claimed
Overview
Please join myself and Matthew Bendyn in supporting our efforts in submitting our first ever feature film into the upcoming slate of film festivals this fall. As first time filmmakers we are looking to bring our film to regional and local film festivals that center around community building. As we funded our production and post production costs, we're looking for help in alleviating the costs of submission fees in order to give us room with travel. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Short Summary  / Initial Development

Our relationship as collaborators dates back to our humble beginnings as roommates at St. John’s University, where Matt first began creating student films. Though not a film major, I was fascinated by Matt’s approach to film-making which draws from many abstract  and emotional elements. Shortly thereafter, I started working under Matt as an actor and assistant for his web series and we quickly became great friends.

Matthew and I began to develop "Little Brown Dog" shortly after the passing of Matt's long life friend Daniel Gross, who was the co-writer of the story and screenplay, as a way to honor his memory. As aspiring filmmakers, Matthew and Daniel we're looking for ways to develop a story that could be done with a smaller scale budget while still telling a very personal experience from the point of view of a troubled protagonist. In doing so, they drew inspiration from and channeled thematic elements that can commonly be found in the films of filmmakers such as John Cassavetes and Terrence Malick.

After considering the initial costs for shooting on Long Island and getting in contact with other experienced creatives who were willing to compromise on their fees to help us tell this story, we found that we could pull together the finances to fund this project. With every big endeavor, we took a leap and trusted that the process would be rewarding. That it certainly was….

Where the Funding Will Go

Our current costs for the campaign revolve around submission fees that are necessary for submitting into film festivals. On average feature film submissions are around $65-85 per submission which can add up quickly. Currently with an estimated ceiling of $85 per submission multiplied by twelve (our desired number), we are looking at a grand total of $1,020.00 estimated in submission costs. All else will be covered by our own pocket with regards to travel and lodging as we feel that submitting into these festivals is half the battle.

Our Current Slate Of Film Festivals is below…

  • Austin Film Festival (Austin, Texas)
  • Bend Film Festival (Bend, Oregon)
  • Cucalorus Film Festival (Wilmington, North Carolina)
  • Calgary International Film Festival (Calgary, Canada)
  • Woodstock Film Festival (Woodstock, New York)
  • Williamsburg Independent Film Festival (Williamsburg, New York)
  • Gold Coast Film Festival (North Hempstead, New York)
  • New Orleans Film Festival (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Savanannah Film Festival (Savannah, Georgia)
  • Atlanta Film Festival (Atlanta, Georgia) Spring 2018
  • Sarasota Film Festival (Sarasota, Florida) Spring 2018
  • New Directors, New Films Festival (New York, New York) Spring 2018

If we are unable to reach our goal of $1,000, then we will humbly use as much as we can get to put towards film festival submissions and revamp our approach to select film festivals that we feel we have a higher chance of getting into. Essentially we would be cutting the choices, that in our industry are called "Reach Submissions" or submissions that we feel expose us to a higher risk of potentially being denied.

As a way of showing our appreciation, our current slate of perks will revolve around thank yous, crowd funding credits , and digital copies of the film including an invitation to our opening premiere which will take place in Manhattan among our closest friends and family.

We ask that if you are unable to donate to the campaign, to please share the campaign among your social media platforms. We're looking for as much exposure as we can have and that means asking for the kind graces of our fellow millennials who have access to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, E-mail and other amazing social media platforms. We appreciate all of your help and support for our film and look forward to receiving the support of the community.

Impact and Magnitude

If you choose to contribute to this campaign, you'll be helping us tell a story for those that are often misrepresented in cinema. At its core, Little Brown Dog is about the troubled youth searching for happiness in a restless world. Our story isn't about coming of age but more so an examination of the mistakes we can make as youths, where feelings of despair and lack of redemption can incite feelings of hopelessness. By contributing, you will be helping us submit this story to 12 regional and local film festivals which can be the beginning of a very rewarding career for Matthew and I. We've spent a considerable amount of time working outside of our main jobs to get this film completed and it's been a very rewarding one, despite also being stressful. We cannot thank people enough for all of the help we have received so far, whether its support from our family and friends to actors making time for us despite their incredibly busy schedules.

This film is important to us in many ways because of our personal connections to it and because we feel that the themes in the film are relevant to many things that teenagers go through but never discuss openly. In many ways the transition from our teenage years to adulthood is blurred and often difficult for many youths in America, especially for those that don't have the assistance of dependable guardians. You're often told that you need to act mature at an early age but are also told to enjoy everything life has to offer. For at risk teenagers, the world is even harder to navigate. You're expected to deliver the great results of an underdog story without faltering to the many stereotypes that people perceive you are at fault for falling into, while the opposite can be true for those who come from good homes. In many cases they're considered "good kids who made a mistake." It is these stories we feel need to be told to remind us that the story of our lives can be a complex examination when you put in under a lens. In our story, no one is good or bad, but a character has committed a very bad act. We leave the rest up to the viewers.

Without further ado, please see below for more on the team.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this and have a wonderful day.

Peace And Love,

Christopher Amaya & Matthew Bendyn

And the rest of the Little Brown Dog Team….

PRODUCTION TEAM

Producer – Christopher Amaya

Christopher is a graduate of St. John’s University with a bachelor’s of science in Public Relations and has been working at Nickelodeon as a Licensing Coordinator for the past 4 years in Music & Media Licensing. This is his first independent feature film as a Producer and his second project along with a short film for which he will also be submitting into film festivals this upcoming fall. He first began working in production as an assistant and actor for my friends while they were in film school. Together, with Matt Bendyn and Alex Snider he helped create a webisode series called “Kids With Class.” In addition to that he has also acted in a few student films.

Director / Producer – Matthew Bendyn

Matthew is a graduate of St. John’s University with a bachelor’s of fine arts in Film and Television Production and is a Freelance Editor/Director for Project Based Work in Brooklyn. He first began working in production as a student at St. John’s University working on student films. In addition to that he directed "Frenchmansward", which debuted last year at the Madison Film Festival in Albany, NY. Little Brown Dog is his directorial debut on a feature film.

Sound Engineer / Music By / Co-Producer -  Michael D. Stango

Michael is an alumni of St. John's University and a long time collaborator with Matt and Chris. Michael currently works in Manhattan at a sonic sound company known as ManMade Music and was part of the initial development of the film. An ace of all spades, Michael brought a lot of technical expertise to the film. On top of composing the soundtrack, he also handled the mastering, mixing and technical production.

Screenwriter/Screenplay By - Daniel Gross

Daniel graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a bachelors degree in Philosophy. Growing up, he was always a huge fan of Woody Allen's films and the genre of surrealism. A natural born storyteller, Daniel was always fascinated in experimenting with the art form, especially in relation to the medium of film. He is survived and remembered by his friends and family. 

Executive Producer - Alex Bendyn

Alex Bendyn is a SUNY Cobleskill alumni with a degree in business management. He joined the team back in the early stages of development and was an integral part in getting the film financed and delivered. He currently resides in Albany and has started a career in the Real Estate industry as an agent. This is first film as a financier and he is very enthusiastic to be a part of the team.

Cinematography / Director Of Photography - Brad Rego

Brad is an Massachusetts native and industry professional who has been active since 2006 and has covered multiple areas in the creative field as a director, producer, and cinematographer. His 2010 movie "The Killing of Jacob Marr" can currently be found on Amazon On Demand. Brad was one of the first collaborators to join the production and brought with him a wealth of knowledge. We wouldn't have been able to complete this film without hi expertise, guidance, and willingness to work with us on a limited budget. We are very grateful for his contributions to this film.

Sound Mixer - Robbie Kush

Robbie is an industry professional who has been active since 2011. He is most known for his work on The Recipe, Mira Mira (2014) and Wild Horses (2013) and joined the project shortly after Brad. Robbie was instrumental in completing the production and provided us some great insight into the world of sound engineering.

CAST

Jake - Jarrod Allan

Jarrod Allan is an actor, writer, comedian, and producer as well as a founding member and the Executive Director of The Joust Theatre Company. Acting credits include Jean-Paul Marat in Incorruptible (Joust), Paulie in This Room is for Everybody (PHTS Theater School), Owen Coffin in the world premiere of The Whaleship Essex (Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse), and Nick in Assistance (Joust). As a writer Jarrod has worked with Insomnium Theatre Company’s annual Nightmare Before Insomnium event, as well as several events with The Joust Theatre Company. He debuted his first full length play, Same Time Next Week, as part of the Thespis festival last year where he also played Peter. A proud Slytherin, a fan of the Lannisters, and generally a supporter of unpopular ideas (#Kanye2020), Jarrod probably likes you but won't let you know that if he can help it. Twitter: @jra341

Cassandra - Kristen Vaganos

Kristen Vagaone is a TV, Film, Commercial, Theatre, Voiceover, and Improvisation actress. She is currently pursuing a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch School of The Arts with a minor in the Business of Entertainment. She performs on NYU improvisation "After School Special" and studies at Lee Strasgberg Theatre & Film Institute. She works in both stage and film and her most recent credits include Heidi Holland in The Heidi Chronicles and Jackie Starr in web series Labeled.She is excited to explore such a mysterious character in this upcoming project.

Jane - Anna Clare Kerr

Anna Clare Kerr is an NYC based actor and artist. She trained at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Undergrad. She was very excited to tackle the role of Jane and be a part of this project and brought a lot of enthusiasm to the role. When she isn't acting, you can find her taking naps, cooking recipes from vegetarian food blogs, and trying not to spill drinks on herself. Check out what she's up to next at www.annaclarekerr.com

Mike - Benjamin Hickson

Ben is a Brooklyn resident and has been working in the industry since 2011. When Ben is not acting, he can be found traveling the world and working as a DP. Ben was one of the first people to join the cast and had one of the harder scenes in the movie to shoot. He brought a lot of energy to the role.

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